Amelia Chiropractic Clinic Explains the Value of Chiropractic Research

Research makes the healthcare world go ‘round! Research solidifies the role of healthcare’s relief of pain. In chiropractic healthcare, much research revolves around documenting chiropractic’s benefit for painful musculoskeletal conditions like neck pain, back pain, arm pain and sciatic leg pain. Amelia Chiropractic Clinic delivers just such effective, research-documented care to our Fernandina Beach chiropractic patients.

CHALLENGE: DO HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH

One group of back pain researchers challenged fellow researchers to come up with long-term plans to decrease the burden of low back pain on patients and healthcare systems. They described that developing effective strategies continues to be a daunting job for back pain clinicians, doctors, and researchers. Vexingly, back pain disability levels have not improved despite an increased quantity of published research reports regarding back pain care. No consensus on the best way to manage low back pain has been achieved. Non-drug and non-invasive approaches like exercise, manual therapy, massage, and such are typical recommendations. Another group of reviewing researchers indicated a few issues with back pain research: design and analysis within the treatment clinical trials. (1) Designing research studies is difficult. Designing a “sham” protocol for spinal manipulation that seems like spinal manipulation is really challenging. (Just touching a spine can help some, but that’s a topic for another article!) Observational studies are the next in line. How so? Researchers observe what happens to patients when they go through treatment and report on changes and effects. Fortuitously, Cox® Technic research has a blend of biomechanical and clinical observational studies resulting in case reports, case series, as well as retrospective and prospective clinical studies. Amelia Chiropractic Clinic feels this mix of research support helps explain to our Fernandina Beach chiropractic patients what clinical outcome relief they may anticipate.

MINIMAL CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

Sometimes, chiropractic physicians and low back pain patients alike find themselves frustrated with the outcomes of treatment for back pain. They shouldn’t be! In medicine, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) is reported 30% or 20% and even 10% improvement. That is reported to be an “effective” outcome. Cox® Technic has offered 50% improvement in 30 days as the goal…and still does. Many times, chiropractic patients find that 50% relief in less than 30 days and that the 50% relief is closer to 70% or 80% or 90%! Sometimes, a patient’s response may be slower in getting relief or only reaches 30% or 40%. Some patients want more while others, especially patients who have previously gone through back surgery or sought non-relieving care from many other providers, are excited. A study of 1232 low back pain subjects discovered a MCID pain intensity of 2 (meaning a 2 point move on a scale of 0 no pain to 10 worst imaginable pain). That’s not a big move but is realistic. (2) It’s a statistic to share. Weighed against medical and surgical outcomes for back pain treatment that are as low as 10% or 30% expected improvement MCID, our Fernandina Beach chiropractic clinical outcome objectives are high and frequently achievable.

THE CHALLENGE OF CHIROPRACTIC RESEARCH – AND HOW CHIROPRACTIC ANSWERS

Chiropractic, like other complementary and integrative healthcare professions, has a little more difficulty in maintaining a flow of research as many programs are not incorporated into large university settings with well-established and well-funded research departments. Global chiropractic researchers are looking for am amswer.  Australia, Canada, and Denmark chiropractic researchers have formed a leadership academy (CARL – Chiropractic Academy for Research Leadership) for early-career chiropractic researchers to promote more chiropractic research. US-based researchers are looking to the RAND Corporation’s Center for Collaborative CIH Research to assemble research talent and resources to elevate chiropractic’s quality and quantity of research.  (3,4) Solid research continues at chiropractic universities to record the benefits of chiropractic for musculoskeletal-related pain like back pain, neck pain, arm pain and leg pain.

CONTACT Amelia Chiropractic Clinic

Listen to this PODCAST with Ram Gudavalli, PhD, principal investigator of many Cox® Technic research studies, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains research studies of which he’s been a part.

Schedule your next Fernandina Beach chiropractic appointment now. Bring your questions about the research behind our chiropractic care with you! Amelia Chiropractic Clinic loves to share research! 

 
Amelia Chiropractic Clinic communicates the importance and value of chiropractic research in healthcare decision-making and relevance. 
« View All Featured Articles
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."